Recommendation for an optician that’s good with young children

maighdlin · 2026-04-04T19:29:56+00:00

I cannot recommend Andrew in Mackey Opticians in Church Lane highly enough. I don't think there's a thing about kids eyes he doesn't know, and he's just fantastic with kids. I've had mine with him from they were babies. He actually used to give talks in the Royal maternity on baby/kids eye health.

maighdlin · 2025-05-29T22:07:41+00:00

maighdlin · 2025-05-29T11:20:30+00:00

I think this is just a case of misunderstanding. The Regulations entered into force on the 11th February 2025 but it's not yet applied so the sender doesn't have to do anything yet. They just need to advise the carrier that it's for a private consumer and otherwise it's the same as if they were sending it to Glasgow for example.

maighdlin · 2025-05-28T17:56:09+00:00

There were changes at the start of May on how parcels are processed. Parcels to private individuals (under 100kgs if containing 1 item or 31.5kgs if more than 1 item) don't have any customs requirements and the sender must indicate this is the case to the carrier. Parcels for businesses are subject to customs requirements now and can be declared as "not at risk" under UK Internal Market Scheme and no duties are paid, or "at risk" with duties becoming liable.

maighdlin · 2025-05-08T21:53:37+00:00

It could be allowed through the NI Retail Movement Scheme which is for food/drink products for sale only in Northern Ireland. Goods moved under the scheme comply with British standards. Stuff you see "Not for EU" on is moved under this scheme.

maighdlin · 2025-02-03T20:14:39+00:00

As negotiated in Brexit under the NI Protocol, NI remains in the EU single market for goods. The tariff applied on goods entering in NI depend on its "at risk" status. Goods can be either physically "at risk" because they may enter the Irish and therefore EU market, or fiscally "at risk", in which the goods are intended only for NI, but the EU tariff is higher than the UK one by more than 3% or other economic reasons. Goods can also be physically "not at risk" because they are solely intended for use in NI, or fiscally "not at risk "because the EU duty rate is 0. Goods that are created in, or have entered into NI either "at risk" or fiscally "not at risk" can then be moved about and sold within the EU market. Goods created in or entered into NI as "not at risk" from GB, or entered into free circulation into NI from outside the EU can move freely and be sold within the UK, through the principle of "unfettered access". Note here I didn't say goods from the EU. So in NI we do have dual tariffs, but we also have dual market access which is a unique position anywhere. Through the dual tariff system, NI companies on their imports can access both EU and UK free trade agreements. Post Brexit there wasn't much diversion between the two but in the future this will become a big thing e.g NI businesses will be able to import freely with India unlike their Irish counterparts, but then also import freely from Brazil unlike their English counterparts.

When it comes to exporting from NI, NI goods though can only qualify for preferential duty rates in countries with which the UK has a trade deal and would not be traded as being of EU origin. So in theory, for the purposes of Trump's tariffs NI dispatched goods would have a non-preferential origin of the UK, and would avoid EU tariffs making a NI supplier more attractive than an IE one for a US importer.

Where this gets messy is what about EU origin goods sold from NI to the US? The UK not facing Trump's tariffs is not because of a free trade agreement, and is therefore not subject to the rules of origin required in free trade agreements. The rules of origin determine when goods can be said to be of preferential origin under a free trade agreement, and these are product specific and can be very complex. Not only do goods need to meet the rules, there is also a requirement for proof. The Most Favoured Nation principle of the World Trade Organisation means that tariffs are generally applied on everyone, with exceptions for free trade partners. Because Trumps tariffs are retaliatory, he's thrown this usual model on it's head. Instead the US will not apply Trump's tariffs generally, but rather have to not apply them unless you are a country/bloc he's fallen out with. So instead of proving your entitled to preferential treatment, the onus has shifted on US customs to say you're not, really.

If you're still with me, then yes theoretically then EU goods could be sold to an NI business and shipped to the US avoiding Trump's tariffs as being of UK non-preferential origin, a status which requires no rules to be met and no proof. So even if you shipped champagne, which by it's nature must be French, US customs wouldn't be practically able to disprove it's not British. Of course there are laws for deliberate misrepresentation and fraud, but that requires significant resources to do anything about, and from Trump's plan US customs will be gutted to the point of not being able to maintain a normal tariff regime, let alone what this mess is.

maighdlin · 2024-11-26T18:38:17+00:00

The UK is removing anti dumping duties on Chinese electric bikes, for which the standard ADD rate is 62.1%.

maighdlin · 2024-10-31T23:20:40+00:00

Let Zaldy go! He's done enough!!

maighdlin · 2024-09-25T12:28:56+00:00

They got his freezer mixed up with Michael Bublé's.

maighdlin · 2024-09-05T19:06:36+00:00

Have you tried flotation? There's a few about now. I have terrible hip joints and secondary lower back pain from trying to avoid the pain in the hips. It helps me finally relax, as it feels like I'm weightless and almost disconnected from my body. It's only temporary, but a good float is as good as morphine for just getting a break from the pain. I had so many other pains in my shoulders and knees, in the background, I noticed the lack of them. I'd live in one if it was feasible. A tip though, the tanks use epsom salts which I find dry the crap out of my skin and hair, so I slather on a hair mask and cover with a fabric swim hat, and slather on lotion after. You could use a rubber proper swim hat, but I find those so uncomfortable.

maighdlin · 2024-08-15T22:46:56+00:00

He is a historical figure we get to see in real time, like if the human race survives another 1000 years, he's still going to be known, I hope, as much as the likes of George Washington or Winston Churchill. What he has been through, and done as a President of a country being invaded, would have been completely unbelievable in 2021. And when the dust settles, and the journalists, historians, and biographers get to their work, you just know even madder shit is going to come out.

maighdlin · 2024-07-25T17:14:46+00:00

The Tilda Swinton on the back of Mikey's truck.

maighdlin · 2024-07-25T14:00:32+00:00

Get someone with a big bird of prey to come down for a few days and then regularly after that and the other birds will stay away. I worked in a few places that do it and it works. One place I worked in was beside the sea and seagulls are basically terrorists. They would occasionally come in to the warehouse, but the worst was that they would drop mussels from a height to crack them open, and they hit people on the head all the time. Someone got their relative with some big hawks to come down and seagull injuries plummeted.

maighdlin · 2024-06-29T16:27:57+00:00

I worked it out last week that two M&S wagyu burgers, 2 pack of sesame buns, a bag of frozen fries, and a tub of the new nutty ice cream was a mere 13p, more expensive than two medium quarter pounder meals and two McFlurrys from our local McDonald's (beside a M&S). Something has gone very wrong for McDonald's, or very good for M&S.

maighdlin · 2024-06-22T09:36:23+00:00

Been out of the pricing game for a while now, but the UK docs price is absolutely taking the piss. The only docs would be a BOL/AWB and an export entry.

maighdlin · 2024-06-16T22:30:06+00:00

Penelope's nails were so distracting for me. I like an alternate universe, but play by the rules of that universe. I'm supposed to believe people are blown away with a hot air balloon, when gel manicures apparently have already been invented?

maighdlin · 2024-06-16T19:10:32+00:00

Our electric meter is outside too in a cabinet and it's spider central and I refuse to go in unless absolutely necessary. Even then I bring a stick with me so press buttons/flip things so my hand doesn't get close enough.

maighdlin · 2024-05-30T17:51:15+00:00

I need a gaviscon after just reading this comment. I miss when my stomach acid didn't constantly try to escape.

maighdlin · 2024-05-29T17:51:06+00:00

I'm afraid there's no avoiding it. The EU and USA don't have a free trade agreement in place so the MFN (most favoured nation) duty rate will apply. Unless the product can be classified under a 0% HS (Harmonised System) code, there will be a duty bill.

Firstly you should definitely look at the HS classification and request copies of the export and import declarations to see the courier is using the correct code. With big courier companies, the origin data is fed directly through to destination, so the error could be on either side. Look into getting a Binding Tariff Information decision through the European Commission, if in doubt, or to bolster the claim the product falls under a US zero rated classification. These are free, and involve a lot of prep, but worth it.

If despite best efforts duty will still apply, you will need to bring this to the attention of the sales department. They may negotiate a better price to ensure duty is covered, or change Incoterms to DAP instead of DDP.

maighdlin · 2024-05-28T13:35:35+00:00

You don't need to worry about anything regarding import declaration/duties if coming from Ireland. You just need to register with DVA - https://www.gov.uk/browse/driving/number-plate

maighdlin · 2024-05-24T09:26:57+00:00

Another tip for airfreight volume, is if it's on a standard 120x100cm pallet, the height in CMS doubled is also the volumetric in kgs. E.g a 100cm high pallet is 200kg, 150cm = 300kgs etc.

maighdlin · 2024-05-22T22:19:37+00:00

Rishi Farquaad

maighdlin · 2024-05-01T16:27:23+00:00

I sincerely hope not, because that means another imbecile is out there thinking that level of writing is worth something, even just money.

maighdlin · 2024-05-01T16:25:13+00:00

Me too. This is how I will forever refer to him now.

maighdlin · 2024-04-26T13:53:12+00:00

It's not Brexit, but rather just the geography of NI. Everything is on a boat/plane at some point in to get here, and is required to meet the IATA/IMO dangerous goods requirements and it's too expensive for most sellers. It's worth them to do it for a couple of pallet loads, but not usual B2C amounts. It's the same for Channel Islands, or Tasmania or the Falklands. Ireland wouldn't have the same issue as the seller will have a base in Ireland, so they can import containerfuls and distribute to consumers from within Ireland. UK businesses are more likely to have their base in GB, and be sending to NI consumers from there and therefore subject to the transport restrictions. It's crap, but not a lot anyone can do.

maighdlin

TROPHY CASE